Flag Series Vietnam 2018 Rum

This complex, full-proof Vietnamese rum deserves to be sipped neat or with just a splash of water to unlock its layers of tropical fruit, spice, and wood—save it for contemplative evenings when you can give it your full attention, perhaps alongside grilled pork, caramelized dishes, or coconut-based desserts that echo its Southeast Asian origins.

Nose: Opens with refined wood notes—think furniture varnish and freshly sanded teak—followed by a generous wave of tropical fruit. Apricot and mango dominate, with supporting notes of orange peel and walnut. Given time to breathe, the rum reveals deeper layers of incense smoke, earthy cumin, and warm turmeric that add an exotic, spicy dimension without overwhelming the fruit.

Palate: Bright citrus zest—orange and pink grapefruit—provides an energetic start before settling into softer, sweeter territory with quince jelly and apricot preserves. The texture turns creamy with vanilla and dairy-like richness. Subtle grainy notes emerge through peach skin and powdered ginger, adding complexity without heaviness. The mouthfeel balances liveliness with a smooth, almost velvety quality.

Finish: Long and satisfying, returning to the incense character from the nose alongside thick cane syrup sweetness. Brioche and rice cake add a baked, slightly toasted quality. As the finish develops, cocoa and coffee notes appear on the retro-nasal, deepening the experience and leaving a pleasantly bitter-sweet impression that lingers well after swallowing.

Flag Series Vietnam 2018 Rum starts with hand-harvested endemic sugarcane from Quang Nam province, fermented naturally and distilled in a French copper Armagnac column still before spending six years aging in an ex-Cognac cask under Vietnam's intense tropical conditions—a maturation environment that accelerates the rum's development and creates remarkable complexity in a relatively short timeframe.

• This rum spent six years aging in Vietnam's intense tropical heat, where temperatures and humidity accelerate maturation so dramatically that each year counts roughly like three in Scotland—meaning this relatively young spirit developed complexity comparable to an 18-year-old whisky, all while resting in a cask that previously held Cognac in the cooler climate of western France.
• The distillery near Hoi An uses a French Armagnac-style copper column still—a rare choice for rum production that typically sees pot stills or industrial columns—creating a spirit that bridges Caribbean rum traditions with the artisanal brandy-making techniques of Gascony, resulting in a uniquely refined character you won't find in typical agricole rhums.
• With only 213 bottles produced from a single cask, this release is rarer than many cult whisky bottlings, and the label provides forensic-level transparency including the exact cask number (#VN18AU14) and precise aging timeline—a level of detail that lets you trace this rum's journey from hand-harvested Quang Nam sugarcane to your glass with unprecedented accuracy.